Catenacci's days in Sault appear over - Former first overall pick wants out, won't report to training camp, Dubas says

Don't bother combing for Daniel Catenacci's name on the Soo Greyhounds roster next season.

It won't be there.

Hounds general manager Kyle Dubas confirmed Thursday night the 18-year-old centre has made it clear through his agent that he won't return for another season.

Any parting of the ways won't exactly be Hounds driven, Dubas said.

"We have not initiated any trade scenarios or situations with this player," the rookie GM said. "There's always a possibility (we would trade Catenacci), and the truth of the matter is, in this regard, is that this player has requested to be traded."

Dubas said he has yet to receive any serious offers for

Catenacci and reiterated he won't trade the player unless he gets fair equity in return. He would not elaborate on why Catenacci wants out of the Sault, choosing instead to say that's something the Catenacci camp will have to divulge.

Neither Catenacci nor his agent, Darren Ferris of the Orr Hockey Group, could be reached for comment Thursday night.

With training camp set to kick off later this month, Dubas doesn't know how things will play out, saying this is a tough time to make trades and get fair equity.

"This is a difficult time to trade players, that's why the price for players is more during the season," he said. "A team can see more where their direct needs are game in and game out. Once training camps get rolling, I think there's a lot of teams in the league that could use a guy coming off 71 points."

Dubas, told of Catenacci's stance by Ferris during a July 19 meeting, said he's not aware of any "real reason" why the first-line centre, who racked up 71 points last season, is so determined to leave.

Regardless, there's ample talent ready and raring to take to the ice next season," Dubas said.

"We've got 20-some odd guys coming to camp who are already in town early, voluntarily, or other guys who want to be in town early," he added.

"So I've focussed more on the guys who are excited and want to be a part of our team. I think there's some extremely good hockey players that are in that group."

Dubas cited centre Nick Cousins (selected in June by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round) and Echo Bay native Brett Findlay as players in whom he has a "tremendous amount of belief."

"When you're a good team, you've added guys to give our team great depth," Dubas said.

"To say it's caused me any stress would be a tremendous disservice to the amount of belief I have in those other guys on the team."

Catenacci, in 67 games played in the 2010-11 season, racked up 26 goals and 45 assists and led all team scorers in points. During his rookie season, he tallied 10 goals and 30 points in 65 games.

But, it's fair to say Catenacci's fortunes took a fall in the spring.

In June's NHL Entry Draft, the Hounds' leading point scorer last season was overlooked until the third round, as 23 Ontario Hockey League players were selected before him.

Ranked No. 37 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting prior to the start of the two-day draft, Catenacci was bypassed with the first 76 selections. He was eventually drafted 77th overall by the Buffalo Sabres.

Born in Richmond Hill, Ont., and raised in Newmarket, Ont., Catenacci was drafted first overall by the Greyhounds in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection.

Dubas said the Catenacci issue has not been a distraction to neither he nor his players, adding little time was wasted dealing with the matter once it arose.

"We put it out there to teams, confidentially, that we'd accept offers for him," Dubas said. "We've got a lot of draft picks, a lot of players coming back. Once a team gives us the best possible deal, then we'll make it."

Catenacci's request was also hinted at this week by Niagara IceDog coach/GM Marty Williamson, discussing his team's first-round pick, Adam Bateman, and interest in him from other OHL franchises.

"When the Catenacci kid is available, there's a lot of people talking," Williamson told the St. Catharines Standard.